[Ip-health] Wall Street Journal (Washington Wire): New Deal?

[Thiru Balasubramaniam]

http://blogs.wsj.com/washwire/

November 24, 2006, 10:30 am

New Deal?

House and Senate Democrats are asserting labor demands on a trade pact
between the U.S. and Peru. The Democrats have formally appealed to U.S.
Trade Representative Susan Schwab for the deal to be reopened to add in
international labor-rights standards.

Meanwhile, Michigan=92s Congressional delegation sent a letter calling on
President Bush to mobilize government assistance for U.S. auto makers,
underscoring the appeal made last week to Bush by industry CEOs.

Business activists are stepping up pressure to revive the Doha Round of
trade talks. The United States Council for International Business, a
New York-based industry group representing top multinationals, is
mounting a campaign aimed at pressuring the U.S. and other global
players to compromise on a big trade package before Bush=92s negotiating
authority expires. =93We believe that, despite indications to the
contrary, the talks are not dead in the water, but that time is
extremely tight if we are to get a good agreement done,=94 a spokesman
for the groups says. =96Greg Hitt

------------
Thiru Balasubramaniam
Geneva Representative
CPTech
voice +41.22.791.6727
fax +41.22.723.2988
mobile +41 76 508 0997
thiru@cptech.org